Automatic tripping device for photographic shutters.



No. 809,346. PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906. A. E. WATTS. AUTOMATIC TRIPPINGDEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC SHUTTERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20. 1904,

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1v PATBNTED JAN. 9, 1906.

A. E. WATTS. AUTOMATIC TRIPPING DEVICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC SHUTTEBS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 20, 1904.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

JNI/ENTOR.

- which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to automatic trip mechanism for operating theoperating or release lever of the trip mechanism of camerashutters orother devices, and has for its object the provision of mechanism, whichfori` convenience I will call the secondary trip:y mechanism, adapted tooperate the release- Q lever of the trip mechanism of a camera-shutter,which latter said mechanism I will fortI convenience call the primarytrip mechan-g ism, in such manner as that after said pri-Q marymechanism has been set for operation to effect when operated the openingof saidv shutter for either a limited or an unlimited*` l NITED- STATESPATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED E. WATTS, OF DULU-TH, MINNESOIA.r

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 19(16.

Application filed December 20, 1904:. Serial No. 2371635.

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED E. VATTs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Tripping.Devices for Photographic Shutters; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such i as will enableothers skilled in the art to period and. after saidsecondary mechanism hasbeen set for operation and the operation thereofinitiated the photographer may abandon control of both mechanisms and:said secondary mechanism will continue inj operation to automaticallyapproximately at a predetermined time initiate the opera-Q tion of saidprimary mechanism and at a preg determined time or ap roximately at apredetermined time therea ter, if necessary, effect' the completion ofsaid operation of said pri-3y mary mechanism.

port and the release or operating means or lever, of devices to beoperated-as, for example, the frame and shutter operatinglever of aphotographic camera, of secondary tripping mechanism mounted on saidsupport or frame and adapted to automatically operate said operating orrelease lever.

It further consists of Ythe constructions, combinations, andarrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my said invention,parts of the casing being broken away to disclose the interior andv oneof the graduated scales or dials being omitted. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection of either one of the brake-cylinders and contents forming partof my invention. Fig. 3

l than the aperture in said piston. With these and other objects in viewitconsists, in combination with a suitable sup-' is a perspective viewof the piston contained in each of said cylinders. Fig. 4 is ahorizontal section showing the -upper portion of said invention on theplane A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a reduced perspective view of a portionof a camera-box, showing my invention mounted thereon. Fig. 6 is adetail of a modified portion of said invention, showing an additional oroptional spring device.

In the drawings, b1 is a camera-box having the lens or view-aperture 2,containing a shutter, (not shown) such devices being of variableconstruction and well-known to the art and not thought necessary to beparticularly described herein. Said camera is also provided with ashutter-operating lever 3 of any suitable construction adapted to be setfor operation at the upper end of the slot 4 and to be pressed downwardto operate said shutter. Said lever may, however, be arranged in avariety of ways and my invention positioned to operate it when soarranged. While, therefore, describing the action or position of saidlever with relation to said invention as illustrated, I do not desire tobe limited to such particular arrangement or position. Mounted on saidcamera-box, or on any support suit- -able for the purpose, by anysuitable means,

as by a clamp or' bracket 5, is a casing 6 of any suitable construction,having the slot 7 formed in one of its walls. Positioned in said casingis a brake-cylinder 8, containing an apertured piston 9, provided with acheck-valve of any suitable construction, preferably comprising a cage10, containing a loosely-inclosed ball 11 of greater diameter Secured tosaid piston at the opposite side thereof from the main body of said ballby anysuitable means, as by an extended portion of said cage, is apiston-rod 12, projecting outwardly from said cylinder, preferablythrough a stuffing-box 13, mounted thereon. To the upper end of saidpiston-rod is secured a crosshead or cross-plate 14. Vithin saidcylinder at one end thereof opposite from said ball and preferablycoiled around said piston-rod is a spring 15, adapted to bear againstone end of said cylinder and against said piston directly or indirectlyand having a tendency to force said piston toward the opposite end ofsaid cylinder. Said cylinder is filled on both sides of said piston witha fluid of any suitable density. Secured to said cross head or plate,but depending therefrom outside of said cylinder, is a rod 16, to theoppo- IOO IOE

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site end of which is secured a foot 17, preferably adapted to engageguiding means of any suitable construction, as a guide-rod 17 1,positioned within and secured to said casing. Also secured in part tosaid cross head or plate is an indicatingdevice of any suitableconstruction, as a rod 18, depending therefrom outside of said cylinder,and preferably outside of said casing and provided at its free end withan indicating-finger 18, adapted, in connection with the markings of atimescale or dial 19, to indicate how long it will take said foot 17under the impulse of its actuating-spring device or devices, as of thespring 15, to slip in the direction C to D from the rod 20, which isbracketed upon and forms part of a lever or arm 21 and which rod 20 saidfoot 17 is adapted to engage when in set position. Itis obvious,however, that said indicating device may be modified or altered inconstruction, while still embodying the principles of my invention, andI do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the exact construction ofthose parts as shown. Journaled in suitable brackets or bearings, as 22and 23, secured in or to said casing, is a shaft 24, to which is rigidlysecured a spring-operated bell-crank lever 25, one arm 25"L of which isadapted to extend outwardly of said casing through said slot 7 and inoperation to strike upon said lever 3. The other arm of said lever 25 isprovided with a terminal finger 26, forming part thereofl and adapted inoperative or set position to engage a finger 27, mounted on and formingpart of a swinging arm 21, which latter arm is pivot- .,ed, as at 21a,to said casing or to a suitable` `support therein. Extending from theside of the last said arm of said lever 25 is a pin 28, forming partthereof. (Shown in broken lines inFig. 1 and in solid lines in Fig. 4.)Positioned within said casing is a second cylinder 29, similar to saidcylinder 8 and containing an apertured piston, cage, ball, piston-rod,and spring, all similar, respectively, to such devices designated by thenumerals 9, 10, 11, 12, and 15 in Fig. 2 of the drawings or equivalentconstruction. A stuffing-box, as 13, is also mounted on said cylinder`29. Said cylinder 29 is also filled on both sides of its piston withfiuid of suitable density. A cross head or plate 30 is secured to theouter end of the piston-rod which extends from said cylinder 29. Securedto the last said cross head, but depending therefrom outside of saidcylinder, is a rod 31, the opposite end of which is provided withafoot32, adapted to engage guiding means of any suitable construction-as, forexample, a post 33. Said foot has formed thereon a toe 34, adapted inoperation to engage a tooth of a ratchet 35, carried by .and formingpart of a swinging frame or lever 36, which frame is pivoted, as

at 37 and 38, to any suitable support, as

to said casing. Said swinging frame 1s provided with an arm 39, formingpart thereof, extending in the approximate direction of the side of saidlever 25. A spring device of any suitable construction is provided foractuating said lever 25, and preferably consists of a coiled spring 40,mounted on said shaft 24 and secured at one end to said bearing 22 andat the oppositeend to said lever 25 in such manner that it will inoperation force the outward end of said lever downward and the oppositeend of said lever back in the direction of said arm 39, by whichmovement of said lever the pin 28, forming part thereof, will be carriedagainst the free end of said arm 39, by which said swinging frame willbe swung on its pivots and the ratchet 35 will be disengaged from saidtoe 34. The foot 32 is also provided with a second toe 41, adapted inset position to engage a post 42, bracketed upon and forming part of aswinging arm or lever 43, which is pivoted to any suitable support, asat 43a, to said casing. J ournaled in suitable brackets orbearings 44and 45,mounted on said casing, is a shaft 46, upon which is mounted anarm 47, adapted to project outwardly ofsaid casing through a suitableslot ,as at 7, and in operation to strike upon saidlever 3 of saidcamera. Rigidly secured to said shaft 46 is a lever 48, the free end ofwhich is in set position adapted to engage a finger 49, carried by andforming part of said arm 43, which levers 48 and 47 are so arranged onsaid shaft 46 that when said lever is engaged by said finger 49 in setposition said arm 47 will be in a suitable preparatory position forstriking said lever 3. A spring device of any suitable construction isprovided for rocking said shaft after said lever 48 is released by saidfinger 49, and preferably consists of a coiled spring 50, mounted onsaid shaft 46 and secured at one end to said bearing 44 and at the otherend to said lever 48 in such manner that when said lever is released bysaid finger 49 the spring 50 will actuate said lever and cause it torock said shaft in the direction necessary to cause it to carry said arm47 against said lever 3. A spring device of any suitable construction isprovided for normally holding said swinging frame 36 in set position,and consists, preferably, of a coiled spring 51, attached at one end tosaid arm 39 and at the opposite end to said casing, as at 52. It will beobserved that the spring 51 will yield slightly to permit said ratchetto recede from the toe 34 when said toe is being drawn upward along saidratchet; but when the edge of said toe is opposite a notch in theratchet said ratchet will advance to engage it. A spring device of anysuitable construction is provided for retracting said larm 21 andpreferably consists of a coiled spring 53, secured at one end to saidarm 21 and at the opposite end to said casing, as at 53a. A

spring device of any suitable construction is also provided forretracting the arm 43, and

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cured at one end to said arm 43 and coiled about an alining rod 55 andbearing against the support 56 of said rod'. Said rods 21 and 43 areadapted to extend outwardly of said casing through slots 21b and 43b,respectively, to afford finger-holds upon said arms. Secured in part tosaid cross head or plate 30 is an indicating device of any suitableconstruction, as a rod 57, depending therefrom outside of said cylinder29, and preferably outside of said casing, and provided at its free endwith an indicator-finger 57 a, adapted, in connection with any suitablemarkings on a graduated time scale or dial 58, to indicate how long itlwill take said foot 32 under the impulse of its actuating-spring deviceor devices, as of the spring 15, to slip in the direction X to Y fromsaid rod 42 after said foot has been released by said ratchet. Mountedupon said casing is a signal, comprising a rock-shaft 59, journaled in abracket or bearing 60, secured to saidvcasing, which shaft is providedat its foot with a lever 61, adapted in operation to engage suitablenotches formed in the edges of the arm 25"1L and the arm 47.y A springdevice of any suitable construction is provided to rock said shaft, andpreferably consists of aspring 62, coiled about said shaft 59 andsecured at one end to said lever 61 and bearing at the opposite endagainst said bracket 60 in such manner that when said lever 61 isreleased by said arm 25a and said arm 47 said lever 61 will under theinfluence of said spring 62 rock said shaft 59 and expose to view from aposition in front of the camera a notice exhibited on a signboard 63,carried upon the opposite end of said shaft 59, which notice is to theeffect that the plate in the camera has been exposed or any other noticewhich will indicate that the operation of the invention is completed..Guides of any suitable construction, `as 64 and 65, are preferablymounted upon said casing and are adapted to loosely engage the finger18a. Similar guides are preferably provided to engage the finger 57a. Ifdesired, a spring or spring device or devices of any suitableconstruction, as 66, preferably adjusted by a collar 67 and set-screw68, may be provided outside of the cylinders to operate upon thefeet 17or 32, or both of them. It is obvious also that within the scope of myinvention the arm 25a may be separate from the remainder of the lever25,

said arm being separately keyed to said shaftl 24, only a very slightvariation of the position of the parts being necessary for the purpose,and, if desired, the arm 45 may be made integral with the lever 48 andproject through a separate slot similar to slot 7, a very slightvariation of the position or dimension of the parts being necessary tothat purpose. Other modiiications or alterations in the details ofconstr -action may also be made within the scope and spirit of my saidinvention, and l do not, therefore, desire to limit myself to the exactdetails shown except when specifically claimed.

In operation the signal-lever is swung to a position over the arm 25aand the finger 47,

which said arm and finger are then raised manually until saidsignal-lever is engaged by the notches formed therein. Said arm andfinger are held manually or by any suitable means in such position whilethe arms 43 and 21 are drawn into proper position for engaging thefinger 49 with the lever 48 and for engaging the finger 27 with thelinger 26. The manual support of the arm 25 and of the finger 47 maythen be withdrawn, the manual control of the arms 43 and 21 beingtemporarily retained. The cross-head 30 is then manually raised, drawingup the foot 32 into engagement, by means of its toes, with the ratchet35 and the rod 42, thus locking said arm 43 and said finger 47 and saidfoot 32 and the piston in said cylinder 29 in set position. The manualcontrol of the arm 43 may then be withdrawn. Manual control of the arm21 is, however, still retained until the cross-head 14 is raised and thefoot 17 thereby brought into engagement with the rod 20, after whichlatter operation manual control of said arm 21 is abandoned. Thecomplete device will then be in set position and may be abandoned tooperate automatically. The foot 17, actuated by its controlling-springdevice or devices, will immediately begin slowly to slide upon said rod2O in the direction C D until it slides oi of the end of the same, thetime taken being approximately as indicated on the scale 19 by thefinger 18a at the highest point to which said finger was raised. The arm21 will then be retracted by the spring 53, and the finger 27 will thusbe caused to disengage from the finger 26, thus freeing the lever 25,which under the impulse of its actuating-spring device will be rocked,so that its outer arm 2521 will strike or otherwise operate upon thelever 3 or such other devices foreign to my invention as it may beapplied to and be suitable to operate. The operation thus far will besufficient to operate said lever 3 when taking an instantaneousphotograph or when taking a time exposure in such cases as when theshutter is afterward closed by automatic devices forming part of thecamera, and exclusive of my said invention and under such circumstancesthe remainder of the invention except the signal 63 need not necessarilybe set for action. The operation of the remainder of my device isdesigned for the purpose of determining the period that thecamera-shutter remains open when the determination of such period is noteffected in any other way.- At the same time the arm 25"L of said lever25 operates upon said lever 3 the other arm of said lever 25 will carrythe pin 28 forcibly IOO ISO

against the arm 39, thus causing the frame or lever 36 to swing on itspivots and withdraw said ratchet from engagement with the toe 34.Immediately the toe 41 under the impulse of its actuating-spring devicesbegins to slide upon said rod 42 in the direction X Y until it slidesout of engagement therewith, the time taken being approximately asindicated on the scale 5S by the finger 57a at the highest point towhich said finger was raised, such period being approximately thatpredetermined upon for the exposure of the plate in such camera or forthe continuance of operation of such devices as my invention may inpractice be applied to and be suitable to operate.

If desired, only the mechanism controlling and operating the lever-25and sufficient to operate the signal 63 need be set and operated, theremainder of the mechanism standing idle or being removed. This settingof only part of the mechanism is all that is necessary under manyconditions.

When either cross-head is drawn up, the piston connected therewith isdrawn against the action of the spring in the corresponding cylinderthrough the fluid with which the cylinder is filled, tending to form avacuum on the lower side of the piston. The fluid above the piston,however, simultaneously forces the ball down in said cage and out of thecentral aperture in the piston, the fluid passing through said apertureto ll such vacuum. While said piston is descending the ball is pressedupward into said aperture, and the fluid below the piston can only findits way above it by filtration around the edges of said piston. Thus thedescent of the piston will be slow; but, if desired, said piston orpistons may be constructed so as to permit fluid to escape in either orboth ways with comparative rapidity.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, ish

1. The combination with a suitable casing, of a lever mounted thereinand extending outwardly thereof, operating means adapted to operate saidlever, a second lever adapted to arrest the first-said lever in setposition, retracting means adapted to retract said second lever, acylinder, a piston in said cylinder, a piston-rod connected to saidpiston and extending out of one end of said cylinder, lever-governingmeans carried by said piston adapted to arrest the second-said lever inset position during a portion of the period of movement of said pistonin said cylinder, and piston-governing means adapted to control themovement of said piston.

2. The combination with a suitable casing, of a lever mounted thereinand extending outwardly thereof, operating means adapted to operate saidlever, a second lever adapted to arrest the Erst-said lever in setposition,

retracting means adapted to retract the second-said lever, a cylinder, apiston in said cylinder, a piston-rod connected with said piston andextending out of one end of said cylinder, lever-governing means carriedby said piston and adapted to arrest the said second lever in setposition during a portion of the movement of said piston in saidcylinder, governing means adapted to engage the lever-arresting meanscarried by said piston and to prevent lever-disengaging movement of thelever-governing means carried by said piston-rod, retracting meansadapted to retract the last-said lever-arresting means, and meansadapted to actuate said piston.

3. The combination with a suitable support, of a lever mounted thereon,actuating means adapted to actuate said lever, a second lever adapted toarrest the first-said lever in set position, retracting means adapted toretract the second-said lever, a spring-actuated fluid-controlled timingdevice adapted for an approximately predetermined period to lock saidsecond lever in set position, a .third lever mounted on said support,means adapted to actuate said third lever, a fourth lever adapted toarrest said third lever in operative set position, means adapted toretract said fourth lever, a second springactuated fluid controlledtiming device adapted to arrest said fourth lever in operative setposition, a fifth lever adapted in operation to arrest the rst-saidspring-actuated fluid-controlled timing device in set position andadapted to be retracted by said third lever when the latter-said leveris actuated, the first-said timing device being adapted to continue itsarresting action upon said second lever for an approximatelypredetermined period after the retraction of said fifth lever and thento automatically release said second lever, a sixth lever, adapted to bearrested in set position by said third lever, and means for operatingsaid sixth lever.

4. The combination with a suitable support, of levers mounted thereon,means adapted to retract said levers respectively spring-actuatedfluid-controlled timing devices engaging one of said levers and adaptedto temporarily prevent the-retraction of said one of said levers, otherspring-actuated fluid-controlled timing devices adapted to engageanother of said levers and temporarily prevent the retraction of saidother of said levers and adapted to be governed by the first-saiddevices.

5. In a tripping mechanism, the combination with a suitable support, ofa series of levers mounted thereon and adapted to be held in setposition, means adapted to retract said levers from said set position, atiming mechanism comprising a fluid-filled cylinder containing aspring-actuated fluid-controlled piston having a port extendingtherethrough, a check-valve governing the flow of r-laid IOO IIO

luid through said port in one direction, means adapted to actuate saidpiston, a piston-rod connected to said piston, lever-engaging meanscarried by said rod and adapted to engage the last lever of said seriesand to hold it in set position for an approximately predetermined periodand adapted at the expiration of said period to release said last lever,the construction being such that each of the others of said levers willbe held in set position by the respectively next succeeding lever of theseries and Will be released upon the release of the said respectivelynext succeeding lever.

6. The combination With a suitable support, of a series of leversmounted thereon and adapted to be held in set position, means adapted toretract said levers from set position, a timing mechanism comprising afluidilled cylinder, a spring-actuated Huid-controlled piston in saidcylinder and having a port extending through said piston, a checkvalveadapted to prevent the flow of said fluid through said port in onedirection, a piston-rod connected to said piston, lever-engaging meanscarried by said rodv and adapted to engage the last lever of said seriesand to hold it inset position for an approximately predetermined period,a second series of levers mounted on said support and adapted to be heldin set position, means adapted to release said levers from set position,a second timing mechanism comprising a fluid-filled cylinder, aspringactuated fluid-controlled piston in the latter-said cylinder andhaving a port extending through the latter-said piston, a check-valveadapted Y to prevent the flow of fluid through the lattersaid port inone direction, a piston-rod connected to the latter-said piston,lever-engaging means carried by the latter-said rod and adapted toengage the last lever of said second series and adapted to hold it inset posii tion for approximately a period predetermined upon, theconstruction being such that each of said levers except the last of eachof said series Will be held in set position by the respectively nextsucceeding lever of the respectively corresponding series, a levermounted on said support and adapted in set position to engage thelever-engaging means carried by the piston-rod of said second timingmechanism, to prevent the retraction of the lastsaid leverengagingmeans, and adapted to extend into the path of one of the levers of thefirst-said series and to be retracted from set position by thelast-referredto lever of the iirst-said series during the retractingmovement of said lever of the iirstsaid series.

7. The combination With a suitable support, of a lever mounted thereon,means for holding said lever in operative position and comprising afluid-filled cylinder, a piston therein provided with a port extendingthrough said piston, a cage secured in or to said piston, a ball-valvepositioned in said cage and adapted in operation to prevent a flow ofHuid through said port in one direction, a piston-rod connected to saidpiston, a spring adapted to move said piston in the direction from Whichthe flow of iuid through said port is prevented, and lever-engagingmeans carried by said piston-rod and adaptedto engage said lever to holdthesame in set position and adapted to disengage from said lever Whensaid piston reaches the end of its stroke under the impulse of saidspring.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of tWoWitnesses.

ALFRED E. WATTS.

Witnesses:

JAMEs T. WA'rsoN, ANDEN JOHNSON.

